1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to teaching golf clubs and matching Professional Golf Association (PGA) approved golf clubs, more specifically teaching and matching professional putters, irons and "woods", so that the teaching clubs provide user information concerning a point of club face impact on a golf ball thereby helping the user to develop a smooth, consistent golf swing and the professional clubs provide a means for putting the information learned in actual golf course play. The teaching golf clubs utilize club head self contained visual display means for imparting club/ball impact information. The user trains using the teaching golf clubs and transfers to the professional clubs for golf course play. It should be noted that a "wood" is no longer constructed of wood but can be made of metal alloys, high impact plastics or any number of synthetic materials.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In order to maintain or improve a golf game, a golfer must develop an efficient golf swing where the golf ball is impacted on the club center or "sweet spot". This impact transfers maximum energy from the club head to the ball and allows the ball to travel on a trajectory intended by the user. Whether or not the ball impacts on the club center or "sweet spot" is not always obvious to the user. When the user has a means for knowing a point of impact, the user can quickly made constructive changes to improve his/her golf swing. After a golfer consistently makes ball contact with the golf club face "sweet spot" as indicated by a visual signal, the golfer gains confidence and attains "muscle memory" that eventually allows the golfer to automatically swing correctly. Then the golfer is ready to use a PGA approved golf club without ball impact information but having substantially identical weight, balance, shape and size as the teaching club on a regulation golf course.
The following relevant golf club training devices are the result of a customary prior art search: U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,389 discloses a training golf club comprising a clip on carrier unit have a transducer array overlying a golf club face and a monitor display sitting on a golf club top surface. A ball impact generates a voltage proportional to a force exerted on a transducer which is analyzed to indicate the point of impact. In the present invention, an analysis of voltage generated by an impact on a club face sensor is not dependent on the amount of impact force. In addition, all detection components are internal where component vibration and movements on ball impact are almost non existent. In a clip on arrangement, vibration and movement on ball impact are likely to effect the accuracy and precision of transmitted monitor information.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,236 describes a golf club built in swing analyzing device that utilizes a club face transducer to produce signals sent to a club grip cap LCD indicator to inform the user of the total yardage traveled by an impacted ball. Since output information differs from the present invention output, impact analyzing electrical circuitry is also different.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,583 a user notification device informs the user of a trajectory followed by a movable object such as a golf ball after an instrumented sporting device such as a golf club strikes the golf ball. Here, again, output information and electrical circuitry differ from the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,610 the present inventor discloses a spring controlled push button electrical contact system used to transmit information concerning golf ball impact on a golf club face by means of LED signals. The present invention provides a different impact sensor means along with new circuitry for detecting golf ball impact location on a club face.
In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,182,508, 5,230,512 and 5,441,269 along with U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,001 disclose golf club training devices that notify the user of the magnitude of force of a golf ball impact, of a path of a club swing and of any abnormal acceleration of deceleration of a putter club head, respectively.
None of the relevant prior art inventions disclose a combination of pressure sensors embedded in a golf club face that stimulate LED indicators to disclose golf ball/club face impact location for use in a teaching setting along with a matching professional golf club for use in a playing setting on a regulation golf course.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a teaching golf club having self contained golf ball impact sensor means in order to instantly indicate visually to the user ball impact location and, then, to provide the user with an identically balanced and designed PGA approved golf club for golf course play and/or tournament competition.
Another objective is to provide golf club self contained impact sensory means of miniature size that are able to withstand repeated golf ball impact vibrations and jarring.
A further objective of the invention is to furnish a teaching golf club with instant feedback so that the user can make immediate adjustments and develop a correct golf swing that becomes part of the user's muscle memory.
In addition, a further objective of the invention is to provide a simple golf stroke teaching club to be used for a quick, self taught lesson before golf course play.
There is a need for putter, iron and "wood" teaching golf clubs that can be used for practice and matching golf clubs that can be used for golf course play. A player who practices with teaching golf clubs and then plays on a golf course with substantially identically shaped, weighted and balanced PGA approved golf clubs can repeat successful practice golf swings in actual play thereby gaining confidence with each swing.